Apparatus for dyeing.



'No. 780,399. I A PATENTBD JAN.17, 1905.

J..A. WILLARD. I APPARATUS FOR DYEING.

APPLICATION FILED mm 7,1904.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

iZV/ZZdi No. 780.399. PATENTED JAN. 17, 1905.

J. A. WILLARD. APPARATUS FOR DYEING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7,1904.

-3 SHEETS-SHBET 2| No. 780,399. PATENTED JAN. 17, 1905.

J. A. WILLARD. APPARATUS FORDYEING.

LPLIOATION FILED JUNE 7.1904.

Q3 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- fizz/22726 02 wirzdfllfla Zia/Z2 Zk zaadew/ UNITED STATES katented (Tanuary 1'7, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE. I

APPARATUS FOR DYEING.

SPECIFICATION formingv part of Letters Patent No. 780,399, dated January 17, 105.-

Application filed une 7, 1904. Serial No. 211,506.

To 61/ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES A. WILLARD, a citizen of the United States,'residing at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Dyeing, of which the following is a specification.

This-invention relates to apparatus for dyeing.

The invention aims to provide in a dyeingmachine new and novel means, in the form of a centrifugal pump, for obtaining a more satisfactory circulation of the dyeing or washing medium through the material operated upon during the dying or washing operation.

The invention further resides in the novel construction of the dye liquor and materialreceiving tank or vat and which'is a sectional one, so that the height thereof can be diminished or increased, as occasion requires, and it will furthermore permit of the more easy handling when setting'up or shipping the vat or tank, owingto its sectional construction.

The invention further aims to set upa dye' ing-machine which is simple in construction, strong, durable, efficient in its use, readily set up and knocked down, and comparatively inexpensive.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the-invention consists of the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this'specification.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine with the hoisting mechanism omitted. Fig. 2 .is a sectional elevation of the machine, showing the hoisting mechanism employed in connection therewith; and Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a modification.

The vat or tank which is adapted to contain the material to be treated, as Well as the body of dye liquor or the washing medium, is constructed of a plurality of separable sections and is circular in contour, although it can be of any other shape desired, so that the capacity of the tank'can be increased or diis shown as constructed of two sections.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, 1 denotes the bottom of the tank or vat and which is provided centrally with an opening 2.

The reference character 3 denotes the lower section of the body portion of the tank or vat and which is provided with the outwardlyextending flanges 4 5. The section 3 rests upon the bottom one and issecured thereto by suitable holdfast devices 6, extending through the bottom 1 and flange 5.

The reference character 7 denotes the upper section of the body of the tank or vat, and said section is provided at its bottom with the outwardly-extending flange 8, adapted to rest upon the flange 4 of the lower section 3 and secured thereto through the medium of the holdfast devices 9. If the body of the tank or vat is constructed of more than two sections, then the intermediate section or sections would be secured together and to the lower section 3 and upper section 7.

The bottom 1 of the vat or tank has secured thereto the depending standards 10, which are adapted to support the vat or tank.

Secured to the bottom 1 through the medium of the holdfast devices 11 and depending from said bottom 1 is a casing 12, which forms a housing for thecentrifugal pump, which is constructed of a plurality of blades 13, carried by a shaft 14. r The wall of the casing 12 registers with the wall of the opening 2 in the'bottom'l.

' Mounted upon the bottom 1, as well as being secured thereto through the medium of the holdfast devices 11, is a combined bearingcap-and deflector 15. The cap 15 is provided with a bearing-socket 16 for the upper end of the shaft 14, while the other end of the shaft 14 extends through the bottom; of the casing 12 and carries a beveled gear 17 meshing with the bevel-gear 18, carried by a drive-shaft 19, which is operated by a suitable prime mover. As shown, the shaft 14 is driven through the medium of the gears 17 18 and shaft 19; but it is evident that said shaft 14 can be driven in any suitable manner. The operating means for the shaft as shown is illustrated as one form of means for driving said shaft 14. The cap 16 extends across the'opening 2 and is in the form of an inverted cup, and the sides of said cap 16 are cut away, as at 20, so as to form outlets for the dye liquor or, in other words, form deflecting-openings for the dye liquor in a manner as hereinafter set forth.

Communicating with the casing 12 is an outlet-pipe 21, provided with a cut-off 22. When the cut-oif 22 is opened, the dye liquor can be discharged from the casing 12 and vat or tank, through the pipe 21, to a suitable receptacle.

Arranged within the vat or tank is a perforated removable bottom plate 23, which is adapted to support the material to be operated upon, and said plate 23 when arranged within the receptacle is mounted upon the shoulder 24, formed on the inner face of the section 3 of the body portion of the vat or tank. The plate 23 is supported above the bottom 1 so as to form a manifold space or chamber 25, and said plate 23 is reinforced through the medium of a pair of annular brace members 26 27. The plate 23 has also connected there to hooks or eyes 28, to which are attached hoisting-chains 29, so that said plate 23 can be connected, through the medium of the chains 29, With a suitable hoisting device and removed from the vat or tank when occasion requires.

The reference character 30 denotes a removable perforated compression top plate which is adapted to compress the material supported upon the plate 23, and said plate 30 is retained in its operative position in the manner as hereinafter set forth. The plate 30 is reinforced by the truss-braces 31, secured thereto through the medium of the holdfast devices 32, and is further reinforced by an annular-shaped member 33, which forms a seat for the retaining means for said plate 30, to be hereinafter referred to. The plate 30' is provided with a plurality of chains or other equivalent devices to permit of attaching to said plate a suitable hoisting device, so that the said plate can be removed from Within the vat or tank. The hoisting device for the plate 30 is the same as that employed for the plate 23 and consists-of a chain hoist 35, connected to a trolley 36, which operates upon a track 37. By the employment of the hoisting device 35, trolley 36, and track 37 the plate 30, as well as the plate 23, can be transported to any place desired. The means for retaining the compression-plate in its operative position consists of a plurality of vertically-extending rods 38, secured to the section 7 of the body of the vat or tank through the medium of the holdfast devices 39. The rods 38 project a suitable distance above the section 7 and are each provided with slots 40, through which extend the retaining-wedges 41. Mounted upon each of the rods 38 is a collar 42, provided on one side with a depending arm 43 and on its other side with a depending dog 44. The dogs 44 are adapted to engage the annular brace member 33 and are retained in such position by the wedges 41, which will secure the plate 30 in its adjusted position. The dogs 44 are provided with openings 45, so that when the wedges 41 are removed said dogs can be lifted up and removed from their engagement with the plate 30, so that the latter can be removed from within the vat or tank.

Communicating with the interior of the vat or tank, at the upper portion thereof, is a pair of suction-pipes 46, which at their lower ends open into the casing 12. The section 7 of the vat or tank is provided with suitable openings into which the upper ends of the suctionpipes extend, and the casing 12 is provided at its bottom with suitable openings into which the lower ends of the suction-pipes extend. The point of communication between the vat or tank and the suction-pipes 46 is always above the compression top plate 30-that is to say, when said plate 30 is in its adjusted or operative position.

Communicating with the manifold space 25 is a steam-pipe 47 for heating the dye liquor, and communicating with the suction-pipes 46, at the lower portion thereof,- is a steam-pipe 48, which is also adapted to heat the dye liquor on its passage from the vat to the easing 12. By such an arrangement of steampipe the dye liquor is always kept at a proper temperature.

The operation of the device is as follows: Assuming that the bulk of the material to be treated has been placed in the vat or tank upon the plate 23 and said material compressed to a substantially solid mass'through the medium of the plate 30, said plate 30 being below the point of communication between the suction-pipes 46 and the vat or tank, a body of dye liquor is then run into the tank in any suitable manner until the level of said body is a considerable distance above the plate 30. The pump is then started, which draws a portion of the liquor from within the tank and sucks it within the casing 12. From there it is discharged through the deflectingopening of the cap 16. The cap 16 prevents the liquor from being thrown up in one place, owing to the fact that the sides of the cap are cut away to form the deflecting-openings. By continually operating the pump the dye liquor is caused to circulate through the material, and such operation is continued as long as it is necessary. The body of dye liquor originally supplied to the vat or tank is of such quantity that during the operation of the pump the material will always be submerged in the liquor, thereby preventing the oxidation of the material while being treated. When the dyeing operation is completed, the washing operation is carried on in the same manner. When it is desired to remove the dye liquor'or washing medium from the vat or tank, as-well as the casing 12, the cut-off 22 is opened and the dye liquor or washing medium discharged, through the medium of the pipe 21, intoasuitable receptacle. After the material has been treated the dogs 44: are removed and the plate 30 elevated from within the vat or tank through the medium of the hoisting device. The chains 29 of the plate 23 are then attached to the hoisting device and the plate 23 and treated material removed from the tank or vat and transported to any suitable point desired through the medium of the trolley-36 and track 37.

In Fig. 3 the apparatus shown is substantially the same as that disclosed by Figs. 1 and2, and the parts which are the same in Fig. 3 as those in Figs. 1 and 2 have the same reference characters applied thereto. The difference between the construction of Fig. 3 and that of Figs. 1 and 2 is that the tank is provided with a pair of suction-pipes 5O 51, which communicate with the interior of the tank, near the front thereof; but the suctionpipe instead of communicating with the pump 52 communicates with the suction-pipe 51 through the medium of the branch pipe 53. In the bottom of the tank an inlet-opening 54 is provided, which communicates with the pump 52, and above said opening 54 a deflector 55 is arranged. The pump 52 is operated by a drive-shaft 56, connected with a suitable prime mover. Otherwise than that as v stated the construction of Fig. 3 is the same as that of Figs. 1 and 2.

. The apparatus as shown is of the singletank class; but it is evident that the centrifugal-pump feature can be employed in a duplex machine with suitable pipe connections between the pump and the vats or tanks.

It is thought the many advantages of a dyeing-machine as set forth inthe foregoing dehereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying drawings, but reserve the right to make such changes, variations, and modifications as come properly within the scope of the protection prayed.

Having thusfully described my invention,

' what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. In a dyeing-machine, an extensible vat adapted to contain the dye liquor and the ma-' terial to be treated and having its bottom provided with an opening, a casing suspended from the bottom and communicating with said opening, a centrifugal pump mounted in said casing, and pipes communicating with the top of said vat and with the said casing.

2. In a dyeing-machine, an extensible vat adapted to contain dye liquor and the material to be treated and having its bottom provided with an opening, a casing suspended from the bottom and communicating with said opening, a centrifugal pump mounted in said casing, pipes communicating with the top of said vat and with the said casing, and a driveshaft suitably engaging with said pump for operating it. 7

3. In a dyeing-machine, a vat, a casing suspended from the bottom thereof and communicating therewith, a cap mounted upon the bottom of said vat or tank, a shaft journaled in said casing and in said cap, blades carried by said shaft, pipes communicating with the top of said vat and with said casing, and means connected with said shaft for operating it and said blades.

4:- A dyeing-machine comprising a vat open at its top and adapted to contain the dye liquor and the material to be treated and consisting of a detachable bottom and a body portion formed 'of a plurality of separable continuous flanged sections, thereby enabling the capacity of said vat to be increased or diminished as desired, combined with holdfast de vices for connecting the sections and bottom together.

5. In a-dyeing-machine,'an extensible vat,

a casing suspended from the bottom thereof and communicating therewith, a cap mounted upon the bottom of said vat, a shaft journaled in said casing and in said cap, blades carried by said shaft, pipes communicating with the top of said vat and with said casing, means connected with said shaft for operating it and said blades, and a valved outlet-pipe for said casing.

6."A dyeing-machine comprising a vat, a

casing secured to the bottom thereof, a centrifugal pump arranged in said casing, a removable perforated supporting-plate mounted in the vat, a removable perforated compression-plate operating in the vat, pipes for establishing communication between the vat and the casing, a valved outlet-pipe for said casing, and retaining means for said compressionplate.

7 A dyeing-machine comprising a vat having its bottom portion formed of a plurality of separable sections, a casing secured to the bottom thereof, a centrifugal pump arranged in said casing, a removable perforated supporting-plate mounted in the vat, a removable perforated compression-plate operating in the vat, pipes for establishing communication between-the vatand the casing, a valved outletpipe for said, casing, and retaining means for said compression-plate.

8. In a dyeing-machine, avat, a centrifugal pump mounted in the bottom of said vat, means for establishing communication between the pump and the upper portion of the vat, a heating-medium pipe communicating with said means, and a heating-medium pipe communicating with said va't.

9. In a dyeing-machine, a vat, a casing suspended from the bottom thereof and communicating therewith, a cap mounted upon the bottom of said vat, a shaft journaled in said casing and in said cap, blades carried by said shaft, suction-pipes communicating with the upper part of the vat and with said casing, means connected with said shaft for operating it and said blades, a valved outlet-pipe for said casing, heating-medium pipes communicating with said suction-pipes, and a heating-medium pipe communicating with said receptacle.

10. A dyeing-machine comprising a vat. a casing secured to the bottom thereof, a centrifugal pump arranged in said casing, a removable perforated supporting-plate mounted in the vat above the bottom thereof so as to form a chamber, a removable perforated compression-plate operating in the vat. suctionpipes for establishing communication between the vatandthe casing, a valved outlet-pipe for said casing, a retaining means for said compression-plate, heating-medium-supply pipes communicating with said suction-pipe, and a heating-medium-supply pipe communicating with said chamber.

11. A dyeing-machine comprising a vat, a centrifugal pump communicating therewith, a removable perforated supporting plate mounted in the vat, a suitable distance above the bottom thereof to form a chamber, a removable perforated compression-plate operating in the vat, suction-pipes communicating at one end with the upper portion of the vat and at their other end with said pump, a heating-medium supply means communicating with said suction-pipes, and a heating-medium-supply means communicating with said chamber.

12. A dyeing-machine comprising a vat, a centrifugal pump communicating therewith, a deflector arranged within the vat in suitable relation with said pump, a removable perforated supporting-plate mounted in the vat a suitable distance above the bottom thereof to form a"chamber,a removable perforated compression-plate operating in the vat, suctionpipes communicating at one end with the upper portion of the vat and at their other end with said pump, a heating-medium-supply means communicating with said suction-pipes, and a heating-mediurn-supply means communicating with said chamber.

13. A dyeing-machine comprising a vat, means for circulating a dye liquor therethrough, a heating-medium supply communieating with said means, and a heatii'ig-medinm supply communicating with said vat.

14:. A dyeing-machine comprising a vat, a removable perforated supportingplate arranged within the vata suitable distance above the bottom thereof forming thereby a chamber, means communicating with the vat for circulating the dye liquor therethrough, a heating-mediunrsupply communicating with said means, and aheating-mcdium supply communicating with said chamber.

15. In a dyeing-machine, a vat, a removable perforated supporting-plate mounted on the side of said vat near the bottom thereof and forming a chamber between the bottom of the vat and said plate, a pump communicating with said chamber, a deflector supported by the bottom of the chamber and arranged in suitable relation with respect to the pump, pipes communicating with the vat and pump for cansing a circulation of dye liquor through the vat, a heating-medium-supply means communicating with said pipe, and a heating-medium supply communicating with said chamber.

16. A dyeing-machine involving an open vat having an extensible body portion for varying the capacity of the vat, a perforated material-supporting plate arranged within said vat. a perforated com 'nession-plate operating within said vat, a casing suspended from said vat and communicating therewith, a pump operating within the casing, and means communicating with the casing and vat for causing a circulation of liquid through the vat when the pump is operated.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES A. WILLARD.

Witnesses:

E. T. MACLEAN, E. W. ARNOLD. 

